Raipur: Terming the Centre's move to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the ‘snoopgate’ case in Gujarat as ‘political vendetta’, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Friday said that the Congress has stooped to a low level of politics over the issue.

Contending that the inquiry commission is an insult to states and amounted to an encroachment of their jurisdiction, Raman said, "Congress has resorted to a low level of politics after it failed in the contest against (BJP prime ministerial candidate) Narendra Modi in the recent Assembly polls, in which the party lost (to BJP) in four states."

The Union Cabinet had on Thursday decided to set up an inquiry panel to investigate the matter of the illegal snooping on a woman by Gujarat Police, allegedly at the behest of Narendra Modi.

"It (decision on the inquiry panel) is an unethical step by the Centre. It will also pave the way for legal, political and administrative confrontation between Centre and the states," the Chhattisgarh CM said in a statement in Raipur.

Stating that the Gujarat government has already constituted an inquiry commission to look into the case, Raman claimed that the Centre's decision would destroy the federal structure in the country.

"It (the decision) proves that the Centre is ready to break any federal structure for political mileage. We will protest against it at all levels," he said.

Raman, meanwhile, welcomed an Ahmedabad court decision rejecting a petition seeking action against Modi for his alleged role in the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

"There have been many conspiracies to trap the Gujarat Chief Minister. But after the court judgement, the truth is out. BJP and Modi will emerge stronger from these controversies," he said.

The court of a Metropolitan Magistrate had on Thursday accepted a closure report filed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which went into the probe over 2002 Gujarat riots and rejected a petition against Modi and others.